Mudugamuwa Hewage Gunasena vs. Officer in Charge, Police Station, Akuressa – SC APPEAL 50/2013-2017

In the case between Mudugamuwa Hewage Gunasena (1st Accused Appellant-Appellant) and Officer in Charge of the Police Station, Akuressa, along with the Attorney General and others, the court addressed the issue of the Appellant’s challenge to convictions and sentences for unlawful assembly and causing hurt. It was determined that while procedural irregularities existed in the filing of the appeal and special leave was absent, the conviction was sustained as the evidence—including witness testimonies and medico-legal reports—was found to support the lower court’s findings. However, the imposition of rigorous imprisonment under Sections 140 and 314 of the Penal Code was recognized as improper, leading to the sentence being varied to simple imprisonment suspended for five years. The principle